A Minneapolis-based nonprofit looking to “set a new bar for high-performance buildings” hopes a St. Paul property north of the Central Corridor Light Rail Transit line will allow it to showcase an unusual mix of renewable energy, urban agriculture and housing.

To improve walkability in the area surrounding the $957 million Central Corridor LRT line, St. Paul officials want to build new sidewalks on a dozen streets in the industrial Midway area between the Minneapolis border and Snelling Avenue.

Including affordable housing in a planned 222-unit apartment building on University Avenue in St. Paul has complicated things for Doran Cos. and Wellington Management Inc., developers behind the $37 million project known as City Limits.

As St. Paul city officials prepare to vote this week on a proposed financing plan for the controversial Penfield apartment project, the budget has now climbed to $62 million and depends heavily on TIF, including transfers from other TIF districts.